


Protective

by ArtistAtHeart1



Category: The Flash - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Barry Allen Being Barry Allen, Family, Family Fluff, Fem Dick Grayson, Fem! Wally, Friendship, Gen, Genderswap, Girl's Night Out, Male! Artemis, Moving Out, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Overprotective Barry Allen, Protective Barry Allen, Wally West is Kid Flash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-05-07 12:32:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19209499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtistAtHeart1/pseuds/ArtistAtHeart1
Summary: Five times that Barry was a (over)protective father to Willow (Fem! Wally) and one time she put her foot down. Genderbend AU request from Fanfiction with Female! Wally and eventual Male! Artemis (Artie).  Also Fem! Dick (Dixie).  Reuploaded since I forgot to say it was a multichapter.





	1. First Patrol

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a request over on fanfiction. One of several ideas in fact. I was oririnally going to do a 5 plus one with genderbent Wally and Dick (there is a genderbent Dick in here) with Barry and Bruce being over protective dads, but decided to seperate the two. Not that I've started the 5 plus 1 genderbent Dick fic.

It was Willow's first mission since she had gotten her powers. She dawned the identity of Kid Flash in order to disguise herself. It was a yellow and red uniform crafted from materials that could deal with her speed and a white circle with a red lightning bolt running across it sat on her chest.

She was so excited for this venture that she could barely sleep the night before. After a month of training, she was ready to stretch her legs out in the field. Barry, on the other hand, was a little worried. If she couldn't sleep because of excitement, he couldn't because of anxiety. With Rudy's neglectful tendencies, Barry was Willow's father figure. In his mind, Barry had every right to be concerned. However, there was no talking Willow out of it once he gave her his approval, and he had to live with that.

Their target was Captain Cold. He had recently gotten out of jail, and in a spirt of rage, was targeting the precinct that apprehended him. And while Barry would have preferred an easier first day for Willow, but Cold wasn't the worst person for her to run into on her first patrol.

Cold noticed their arrival, turning his assault onto them. He mostly aimed at Flash, seemingly giving Kid Flash no attention. But once he did, he shot at her. The blast managed to clip her leg, causing her to trip and fall. Captain Cold approached her with the gun pointing at her. It was definitely a curious sight as this new sidekick was unfamiliar to him.

"Who's this little lady?" Captain Cold curiously inquired.

Flash was about to step in, but found that he wouldn't need to. Kid Flash decked Captain Cold, knocking him back. She then delivered a kick, knocking him over.

"Name's Kid Flash." She introduced with a cocky grin. "And you better not forget it."

Captain Cold got up, aggravated by the unexpected surprise. He aimed at Kid Flash with the intent to really cause harm. Kid Flash bolted towards him, avoiding the icy trajectory of his weapons. Her defenses proudly went down and she was greeted by a knee to the stomach. With her now on her knees in discomfort, Cold aimed his weapon at her.

Flash popped up in the blink of an eye. He decked Cold, knocking him off of Kid Flash. While Cold was incapacitated, Flash grabbed a pair of handcuffs from one of the officers and cuffed Cold before he could get up.

Flash let the police finish processing Cold, approaching his sidekick. He led her down the street, and once they were out of sight in an alleyway, they removed their masks. Barry intently inspected his niece in search of any damage. Thankfully, it was minimal with a few scraps on the suit and the side of her face.

"Are you okay?" Barry frantically asked.

"I'm fine Uncle Barry." Willow confirmed.

Barry lightly whacked the back of Willow's head. He meant no harm by it, but he was glaring at her with stern concern.

"Don't be so cocky." Barry lectured. "Snart might not be fast, but he shouldn't be taken lightly."

"I know." Willow replied. "But I had an opening."

"And you got cocky and slowed down. Granted, I doubt Snart would hurt you too much the first time. Or any of the rouges at this point, but they could hurt you bad later on."

Willow pouted in disappointment, slumping her shoulders. She thought she had done so well for her first time. A little excited, but still good. And while Barry had a point, it hurt to hear him say that.

Barry noted it, feeling bad for having to tell her that. That didn't mean that his criticism didn't need to be said. He gentle placed a head on Willow's fiery red locks.

"You did good." Barry complemented ruffling Willow's hair. "And trust me, after a few, you'll be even better."

Willow looked up at Barry, shooting him an appreciated smirk. With his remark about the future, she was glad that Barry wasn't going to bench her. She hugged Barry, showing her appreciation for her uncle's decision.

"Hey you want to go to the diner?" Barry invited. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

Willow released Barry and took a step back. Lunch sounded good. However, her stomach beat her to the punch, rumbling loudly.

"I'm starving." Willow admitted. "But we've got to change first, right?"

"I mean, we could go in uniform," Barry replied, "but I'd much rather have lunch with my favorite niece, without all the attention Flash and his new protégé would bring."

"I'm you're only niece." Willow chuckled.

They bolted towards the Allen household. Getting out of their uniforms and discreetly hiding them in the one place they knew it would be safe. Iris gently kissed the top of Willow's head before kissing Barry, glad that Willow had a good patrol with not a lot of damage. She then sent them on their merry way, knowing they had to eat.


	2. Burnt in the kitchen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go array when Willow makes dinner.

Willow was happily preparing dinner for Barry, Iris, and herself. Not only was she doing this because she wanted to, but also because it was a project for her cooking class. Her hair was tied up so that it wouldn't fall into the food. She choose to make spaghetti with red sauce and meatballs and garlic bread.

It wasn't the first time she had cooked for them, as she enjoyed cooking in general, but it was the first time that it would be graded. Nor was this project complicated. She wanted to do something, but wasn't confident to pull off something spectacular. Regardless, she was having fun with it.

She pulled out the garlic bread and set it on the counter to cool before going to stir the sauce. As she stirred it, Willow heard the door open and close, signaling the return of Barry. It was followed by footsteps that approached the kitchen.

"What's cooking?" Barry inquired, walking into the kitchen. "It smells delicious."

"Spaghetti." Willow replied. "It's for a class. Plus I wanted to treat you guys as a way to say thank you for all of your help as of late."

Barry got closer to get a look at his niece's progress. The noodles were looking like they were coming along well and the sauce let off a pleasant aroma.

"I think you're doing great." Barry complemented.

"Thank you." Willow replied, appreciating the complement, before humorously smacking Barry's hand since it was wandering to close to the food. "It's not done yet."

Barry retracted his hand, taking a step back. With him doing that, Willow turned around to face him, setting the spoon down. She put her hands on the edge of the counter.

"So how was… Ow." Willow gasped, frantically pulling her hand up.

A red mark scorched the side of her hand. Under her breath, Willow let a few swear words slip. It didn't take long to figure out what caused it. The pan with the garlic bread was right where Willow's hand was. And it was clearly still hot.

Barry jumped into action, grabbing Willow's arm and bringing her over to the sink, his mind in parental overdrive. Turning it on with the lever leaning towards the cold option, he carefully put Willow's hand under it. Water definitely helped alleviate the stinging and would hopefully lessen the scarring from the burn.

After a good two minutes, Barry turned the water off. He was still on overdrive as he tried to find a bandage for it. When he did, Barry anxiously studied Willow's hand.

"Are you okay?" Barry frantically asked.

"I'm fine." Willow admitted.

Barry was flustered with the damage. It was small, but it was bothersome. He didn't want to disturb her with his concern, but it was evident.

"Barry." Iris called, to no avail. "Barry!"

Barry looked at her. She was calm, a little annoyed with Barry's erratic behavior, but overall just calm. She approached the duo, studying Barry's work on Willow's hand. To her, it wasn't too bad. It was treated well and would just need time to heal.

"Can you finish?" Iris asked.

"Yeah." Willow replied.

"Then go. We don't need your hard work going to waste."

With a tap on the back, Willow bounced back over to the oven finishing off her cooking project. Iris, on the other hand, shot Barry a puzzled glare. She was annoyed with his reaction, even if it did have roots in something understandable. Barry was still wearing an expression of overzealous concern and confusion.

"Calm down." Iris requested. "She'd fine. Everyone gets burned at least once in the kitchen. Trust me."

It didn't take long for Willow to finish as she strained the pasta and let the sauce simmer. Iris helped set the table. Once set, everyone sat at the table. They conversed about their day, what kind of Barry and Willow stopped and how school and work went.

The meal itself was excellent. Complements were given to Willow, who blushed in appreciation. Graded or not, Willow was just glad that they liked it. Barry even suggested that she try to, not only cook more, but to expand her horizons as well. Iris could agree, knowing that her niece had the potential.

~

The next day, Willow came home with a passing grade and a new assignment. This time a baking assignment. Her choice of pastry was a blueberry pie. It was something new and required a little more work, but Willow was confident enough to try.

Iris and Barry thought it was a good idea. However, Barry just had one request. Oven mitts and supervision. There was no way that he was going to let her get burnt again, even if it would heal quicker than normal. Not so long as Barry had a saying in it.


	3. Monthly Struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not knowing why Willow is tired and having cramps, Barry rushes her to the Watch Tower medbay.

It was the weekend, and Barry was enjoying the time off he was given. He spent about an hour and a half working on the car. It was in need of an oil change and a cleaning. Both of which he did on his own in breakneck speed. After that, he watered Iris' garden. Since she was working, he thought he'd do that for her. It was her pride and joy, outside of her favorite niece.

As he entered the house, there was one thing that concerned him. It was half passed eleven and he hadn't seen his niece. She had spent the night, a not too uncommon occurrence in the Allan-West household, but she didn't seem to be up. In Barry's experience, she usually up by ten, dressed and everything.

Willow never liked sleeping in when she knew that either Barry, Iris, or both were home. She was always up socializing or helping out. So with her still not up, Barry was a little worried.

Barry carefully walked up the stairs, heading for the guest bedroom. As he opened the door, he found Willow in bed curled up with her face scrunching in discomfort. Her eyes were opened, but squinted and she wore a pained frown. He approached the bed to get a closer look.

"Are you okay?" Barry asked.

Willow groaned in discomfort. She didn't move much and her arms were gripped around her abdomen. It was concerning, and Barry had no idea what was wrong. It was made worse when Barry got Willow moving.

~

Barry stormed the Watch Tower in a panic. Willow was in his arms, face scrunched in discomfort and embarrassment. Everyone Barry passed looked at him with confusion. Not that Barry cared. They weren't his focus.

All the while, Willow hid her face, hiding her embarrassment. She had no time to process anything but that. He tuned her out before she got the chance to tell Barry to stop or even explain what was going on.

He brought her into the medbay, where Dinah and Diana were hanging out. The former's arm was bandaged and they were basically in civilian mode as they conversed. They both watched Barry with confused curiosity as he put Willow on one of the beds.

"Everything okay?" Dinah asked.

"I don't know." Barry anxiously replied. "She spent the night at mine and Iris' house, and when I checked on her this morning, she was moaning and groaning in pain. And when I went to help her get up, she was exhausted and complaining about the pain and her bed was stained."

Diana and Dinah exchanged suspicious glances. They didn't have to say a word to get a general consensus. Dinah turned her attention towards Barry, putting one leg over the other.

"Can we have the room for a moment?" Dinah requested. "We'll get this sorted out."

Barry glanced at Willow. He wanted to know what she thought. She gave him a nod, approving the request.

"Okay." Barry accepted.

~

After a good thirty minutes, Barry was summoned back to the medbay. Dinah ushered him inside, offering him a seat. Willow was sitting on the bed Barry set her on. She was in new clothes and blushing feverishly. Diana was lying in the bed next to her with her arms crossed and an smirk on her faec. Willow was clearly embarrassed by something.

"What's the prognosis?" Barry asked.

"Well, she's fine." Dinah stated. "She'll just need up to a week of personal time."

"But what was wrong?"

Dinah paused. She was trying to think about how to phrase it. The issue was an awkward one. Admittedly, Barry's concern wasn't a bad thing, but it was definitely something that didn't need the attention it got.

"Well… uh… how do I put this delicately?" Dinah processed before taking an awkward breathe and crossing her fingers. "It's her monthly check in. Good news, she's not pregnant."

It took a moment before Barry's jaw dropped. His face turned a bright shade of red, embarrassed by the overreaction. Not just for himself, but for Willow as well. Willow looked at him with an expression that described her embarrassment and annoyance for the situation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Barry wheezed.

"I tried." Willow awkwardly chuckled. "But you were in such a panic that I couldn't get a word in edgewise."

Dinah suppressed the urge to laugh. She didn't want to make the situation any more awkward, but that didn't mean it wasn't entertaining. Barry did occasionally overthink things and sometimes jumped into a fit without a second thought.

"I hope you don't have a daughter." Dinah joked with a smirk. "At least for a while. Though I suppose having Willow around is good practice."

Willow hopped off the bed and walked towards Barry. She playfully decked his shoulder before giving him a glare. It didn't last long before she chuckled in defeat. She couldn't stay mad at him about this.

"Can we go home now?" Willow asked.

"Sure." Barry agreed. "Is there anything I can do to make this up to you?"

"How about taking me to that ice cream joint in Star City? You know, the one with the cute cashier."

Barry slung an arm over his niece's shoulders. He didn't mind the request. It was simple enough.

"Sure," Barry accepted, guiding Willow along, "but I better not catch you flirting with the guy."

Willow groaned in annoyance. Her uncle's defensive no boyfriend façade just had to show up now. Barry laughed at Willow's distaste, already planning on how to embarrass her.


	4. One Bad Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flash already didn't want to deal with Reverse Flash today, but it only gets worse

The last thing Barry wanted was for Eobard Thawne to show up. It was already cracking up to be a stressful day before he decided to show his face. Between his workday, Iris' recent case, and Willow's father being increasingly neglectful, resulting in Barry and Iris taking more control in Willow's upbringing, Barry was stressed to say the least. All Barry wanted a simple patrol.

Thawne, on the other hand, seemed to have other plans. He was causing chaos throughout the city with the intent to draw the Flash out. It was pretty successful when Flash and Kid Flash showed up within seconds of each other.

Reverse Flash wasted no time jumping on the offensive. Flash and Kid Flash sped in to stop him. Flash took the lead, taking Reverse Flash head on. Kid Flash acted as support, distracting Reverse Flash so her mentor could get in a few jabs.

Reverse Flash punched Kid Flash, having enough of her sporadic tactics. She was sent flying, hitting the brick wall of a nearby store. She groaned in pain as the wind was knocked out of her and Flash was shocked.

Flash went to attack the futuristic speedster only for him to be deflected. He beat Flash before throwing him. The metal and glass of a car cushioned his fall.

Reverse Flash was focused on the young speedster. As Kid Flash slowly began to push herself up, her throat was grabbed and she was lifted off of the ground. Her hands grabbed his wrist hoping to alleviate the pressure or get him to let go. Blue eyes observed Kid Flash, scheming in silence.

"It's so good to see you again Willow." Eobard commented.

"Let her go Eobard." Barry demanded.

Reverse Flash ignored the Scarlet Speedster's demands. Kid Flash glared at him, shooting him a disturbed frown. He was planning something sinister. That much was certain.

"Get off of me." Kid Flash hissed.

He refused her request as well, tightening his grip on her throat. Reverse Flash studied Kid Flash, taking in her angered features. She kicked Reverse Flash in the shin, but it didn't seem to faze him.

He was plagued by the desire to get back at Flash, and now that he her cornered, he knew he could use her. Twisted thoughts about what he could do to her played around in his mind. A hand grabbed the side of her face as Reverse Flash faced Flash.

"Why don't I give you a little shoe?" Revers Flash suggested before turning his attention back to Kid Flash. "Let's hope I don't mess up that face of yours too bad."

Kid Flash's emerald eyes widened in shock and disturbance. She began squirming in an attempt to get away. Her squirming was enough to get out of his choke hold, but his hand was fast enough to grab her arm before she could get away.

It started with a slew of quick jabs to the stomach. She got in a few hits of her own, but he gave her no chance to overpower him. She was getting warn out when Reverse Flash shoved her against the wall. She tried to get away, but he was not releasing her. His close proximity was uncomfortable and she knew he wasn't done.

"Now, let's have some real fun." Reverse Flash decided, forcing Kid Flash to look at him.

"You're a monster." Kid Flash growled.

"That may be, but I'm just getting back at your uncle."

Flash couldn't stand letting this go on any longer. She didn't deserve the beating she received or the impending threat. He bolted towards Reverse Flash in a rage. He tackled the speedster, getting him off of his niece, who instantly fell to the ground.

He started beating on Reverse Flash. Fists hit him nonstop, not letting his opponent get in edgewise. Flash got Reverse Flash to the ground before continuing his attack.

Kid Flash stood up. She looked at her uncle almost horrified. She was thankful that he stepped in, but she wasn't expecting him to jump in with such aggression. The weary attention it was bringing didn't help.

"Flash." Kid Flash called.

Flash didn't respond to focused in his attack. She had to do something before her mentor did something he regretted. She bolted over to Flash.

"Flash! Stop!" Kid Flash yelled, latching onto his arm.

Her plea got through to Flash, who froze. He looked at Willow, frightened by her anxious gaze. When he looked back at Reverse Flash, he noticed that he was unconscious and bloody. Flash took in a breath, realizing what he could have done. Several police cars pulled up, ready to apprehend Eobard. And with their arrival came the guilt for slipping up.

"I'm sorry." Flash apologized before speeding off.

Kid Flash was unable to stop her uncle. She wasn't even able to go after him, since the police arrived and someone needed to explain the situation.

~

"I thought I'd find you down here." Willow sighed.

After everything was settled, Willow went looking for Barry. After checking with Iris and checking in with the League, she sought out the one other place she could think of. The office. She was greeted by Barry's superior, who told her that he was hiding in the forensic lab alone.

And there he was. She found him sitting in the corner, hunched over in distress. She quietly approached Barry.

"I'm sorry about that." Barry apologized.

"It's all good." Willow forgave. "The officers know you were under duress and that Eobard was not in his normal state of mind. They took him to Belle Reve. Though whether or not he stays there is up for debate."

It was good to hear that Eobard was apprehended without problem. However, Willow's conclusion was a grim and rather accurate one. Barry thought back to his reaction, guilt about it still lingering.

"I was infuriated." Barry sighed. "He was going to…"

"I know." Willow interrupted. "I didn't like where it was going either, but I'm kind of glad you did to be honest." Willow ran a hand through her ponytail. "I just wasn't expecting you to nearly kill the guy."

It was nice knowing that Willow wasn't too fazed by it. Though that could have just been because she was trying not to process it yet. It was going to be a process that was for sure. Willow lunged at Barry wrapping her arms around him.

"Thank you." Willow sighed.


	5. Curfew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow has a girl's night out with Dixie (FEm! Dick) and their teammates, returning home later than curfew.

"I'll be back later." Willow loudly stated.

It was Willow's weekly girl's night out with Dixie, M'gann, and Zatanna. She was wearing a red t-shirt and a jean skirt. Her hair was up with curls at the tips. This week, they agreed to go out to dinner and then go bowling. They were going to meet up at their usual diner in Metropolis, and Willow knew she had to get going.

"Have fun." Iris replied.

"You better be home by eleven young lady." Barry requested.

"I will." Willow promised, rolling her eyes at her uncle's constant reminder.

She was out the door in the blink of the eye. She was off the premises just as fast. If not faster. She wanted to be fashionably late, like she and Barry had perfected so well over the years. It was an expected experience for everyone involved, but they didn't care. With her powers, it was a requirement so that she wouldn't blow her cover as Kid Flash.

~

A red bowling ball smashed the pins, knocking all ten down. Willow jumped up in glee. That was her second strike in a row. She twirled around, heading back to her seat so Dixie could have her turn.

Willow took a seat next to M'gann, who was rocking one of Conner's flannel, a black tank top, and jeans. Her human cover was just as lively and friendly as ever. Looking at the scoreboard, Zantana was in first, followed by Willow and M'gann and Dixie were tied for third.

Dixie returned to her seat after her turn. She managed to get a spare. Right as M'gann was about to go up for hers, when a couple of guys approached their booth. There was a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead.

"Hey their ladies." The blonde greeted. "We're having a tournament over here. Care to join us at our booth as our cheerleaders?"

The quartet groaned in annoyance. This group seemed to show up every now and then, trying and failing to flirt with a number of the female bowlers. Today was no different. In fact, they tried flirting with a relatively newer group, who just so happened to bring their boyfriends along for a date night.

"No thank you." Dixie refused. "We're having enough fun without it."

"Come now," the redhead whined, "pretty things like you should be honored to be in our presence."

Everyone rolled their eyes, Willow's being the most noticeable. It didn't go unnoticed as the brunette decided to take a shot. He leaned across the table, getting up in Willow's face. He gave her a smirk that was theoretically supposed to be flirty.

"You look like you could use some fun." The brunette stated. "I like redheads. And your eyes are like emeralds."

Willow mentally groaned at the boy's up front attempt. She knew she was a bad flirt somedays, but not even she was this bad. Willow was tempted to smack the guy until she caught Zatanna out of the corner of her eye. With a mischievous smirk, Zatanna whispered something. A little spell no doubt.

A passing by group, who were carrying several trays full of food and drinks, suddenly tripped. The trays went flying drenching the trio in nacho cheese and soda. The boys backed up with groans, cussing along the way. They cursed out the group who anxiously apologized.

It got to the point where almost everyone in the bowling alley were watching the teens freak out. It didn't take long for them to find themselves the center of attention, in a rather embarrassing situation. The trio stormed out of the bowling alley, their ego's bruised. They wouldn't be bothering anyone anytime soon.

M'gann, Willow, Dixie, and Zatanna chuckled in amusement. Dixie offered to buy the group replacements for their dropped snack, stating that the trio deserved it and that they shouldn't worry about it. It was enough to calm the group down a bit, but it wasn't going to be an incident that they would soon forget.

~

Willow entered the house five minutes passed eleven. She was a little scared, hoping that Barry was asleep. She didn't plan on being late, not that it was by much. Willow quietly set her house keys on the counter and snuck into the living room.

A light turned on, catching Willow's attention. On the other side of the room was Barry, who was sitting in a chair with the lamp to his left. He was clearly pissed about her walking in when she did.

"Where were you?" Barry interrogated, standing up.

"Bowling." Willow replied. "I'm sorry, I was walking Dixie home and accidentaly got caught up on the butt end of a heist. We had to wait twenty minutes before we were able to talk to Commissioner Gordon, who excused us."

Barry approached Willow. He towered over her. He wasn't going to do anything regrettable, but he was going to give her a stern lecture.

"I was worried sick." Barry stated. "I expected you back here at eleven. And what's worse, you were in Gotham this late."

"Did you expect me to drop Dixie off alone?" Willow argued. "I know she can handle herself there, but come on, I wasn't going to leave her alone in her civilian clothes. Even if she 'never leaves home without her utility belt'."

She had a point. Vigilant sidekick or not, Dixie could use the assist. If anything happened to her, Barry could only imagine how Bruce would react. Plus, she probably didn't care, as she probably enjoyed having Willow's company. Barry bear hugged Willow, relieved that she at least got home safe.

"I know." Barry groaned. "But I was so worried. I know I'm more lenient than some parents, but that doesn't mean I can't worry."

Another annoyed groan echoed through Willow's mind as she rolled her eyes. She understood the concern, but sometimes it was too much. He would calm down eventually, and would let her go out again next week. She just had to deal with her uncle's sporadic reaction.


	6. Moving Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow stands her ground against Barry's protective tendencies now that she's an adult that has finally made the decision to move out.
> 
> Introduction to Male! Artemis (aka Apollo in here)

This was supposed to be a happily monumental day. Apollo and Willow had been eyeing an apartment for months now, and their lease had finally been finalized. The big items had already been moved in and they were finally ready to move in. It was the beginning of their new life together and they wanted to enjoy it. Since being together, they had periodically thought about making this move, and were happy to finally reach this goal.

Barry, on the other hand, had different plans. He had a hard time accepting the change. Not because of Apollo, Barry loved the kid, but because of what it. signified. Willow was leaving home, and Barry was worried about what that could entail. All the troubles that could occur in the side of town they had bought the apartment in.

A loud argument emitted out of the living room as Willow and Barry had a heated discussion. They were standing as they went back and forth as Iris and Apollo watched. They were uncomfortable with their loud discussion, but were unable to get in their two cents in quite yet.

Not that they weren't tense from the argument. Iris was annoyed with it. She was happy with her niece's move. Apollo felt awkward. As close as he was to his girlfriend's family, who typically adored him, he wasn't quite family yet. This may have been their decision, but he didn't want to be involved in the drama.

"I just think your rushing into this." Barry stated. "The apartment is not too far from a bad part of the city."

"You forget who we are." Willow argued. "And what we know. We can handle ourselves."

"And you have to restrain what you know because of your identities."

"That doesn't mean we can't defend ourselves."

"I'd prefer if you stay close to us."

"I'm not a child anymore Uncle Barry!"

"I know that."

"Then why are you treating me like one?"

"Because my daughter leaving me!"

That caught Willow off guard a little. The declaration wasn't a new one, as the two had developed a father-daughter bond over the years. She just wasn't expecting it to consume him in this way.

It also caught the attention of Iris and Apollo as well. The former knew this was coming while Apollo wasn't expecting it. With a rather complicated family situation, hearing this was kind of new to him.

"You may not be my daughter biologically, but you've always been one to me." Barry stated. "I watched you grow. Raised you. How can I not be upset that you're all grown up and moving out?"

Willow sighed, calming down a little. In hindsight, it was an understandable for Barry to feel this way. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel the same to some degree. However, that didn't mean she was going to back down. She was an adult now, and needed to make these decisions.

"Trust me moving out isn't easy." Willow admitted. "I'll be homesick for the first few days. I'll miss the fun we have, the familiarity, seeing you guys on a regular basis. I'll admit, I might even cry. But I have to get used to it." Willow sighed. "And so do you."

Willow took a few steps towards her uncle. She grabbed Barry's hands, holding them firmly. Giving her uncle a warm grin, Willow continued.

"I won't be gone forever." Willow added. "I'll be back to visit. Especially for the holidays. You know West Christmases are too amazing to miss."

"You're right." Barry admitted. "And maybe I'm being too much of a drama mama."

Barry gently placed a kiss on Willow's head, peacefully ending the dispute. Willow let go of Barry's hands. Iris and Apollo stood up, the latter taking a step towards Willow.

"You better take good care of my little girl." Barry playfully threatened, looking over at Apollo.

"I will." Apollo promised. "Though who's going to save me from her?"

Willow humorously jabbed her boyfriend with her elbow. The room filled with chuckles. It was going to be an adjustment, but when all was said and done, it would be for the better. And though the future was uncertain, there was no denying that they had to live it for themselves.


End file.
